The GIGABYTE AORUS 17 YE was a gaming laptop that could be described as a ‘monster’ with a Core i7-12700H and RTX 3080 Ti. Of course, it may be a little disappointing that the CPU is not a Core i9, but in fact, the performance was not significantly inferior compared to the Core i9-12900HK. Above all, the core, thread, and cache configuration are the same. Another thing is the clock. The display of this laptop was FHD 360Hz, but when I tested it, I was able to enjoy the game in high quality according to the high refresh rate. monster is right
But what if there is a gaming laptop that exceeds the Aorus 17 YE? A gaming laptop that transcends monsters. The eternal idol ‘Broly’ of Dragon Ball Z theatrical version said this. “I’m a monster…? Wrong. I’m the devil!” Borrowing Broly’s words, it would be more appropriate to call him the devil this time. So GIGABYTE introduced the GIGABYTE AORUS 17X YES, a gaming laptop with devilish performance. The biggest feature is that it is equipped with a Core i9-12900HX and RTX 3080 Ti. A MUX switch has also been added. Core i9-12900HX and MUX switch. Now, even if I stab it, not a drop of blood comes out.
As mentioned earlier, the Aorus 17 YE used a Core i7-12700H processor. Thanks to this, we were able to have a reasonable price among the RTX 3080 Ti gaming laptops. Also, the performance was not significantly degraded. Either the Core i9-12900HK or the Core i7-12700H, after all, both have 14 cores and 20 threads and the same cache memory. The difference was that the Core i7-12700H was 0.3GHz lower than the Core i9-12900HK on a turbo clock basis.
However, the gaming laptop GIGABYTE AORUS 17X YES to be introduced this time (Gigabyte AORUS 17X YES, hereafter AORUS 17X YES) is equipped with a Core i9-12900HX CPU. As will be described later, this has a symbolic meaning. The Core i9-12900HX has 16 cores and 24 threads, which has more cores and threads than the 14 cores and 20 threads of the Core i7-12700H. The number of cores and threads has increased, and the turbo clock is 5.0 GHz, the same as the existing Core i9-12900HK. In other words, the Core i9-12900HX can be considered the highest performance among existing notebook processors.
So, what does it mean to see the Core i9-12900HX on the AORUS 17X YES? This can be considered a coronation ceremony. It is said that the AORUS 17X YES has established itself as a flagship laptop representing GIGABYTE. If the existing AORUS 17 YE was on the border between high-end and flagship with Core i7-12700H and RTX 3080 Ti, AORUS 17X YES is now the perfect flagship gaming laptop.
Slim flagship gaming laptop Aorus 17 YE
AORUS 17X YES is equipped with 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900HX processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU 16GB GDDR6 (up to 130W), DDR5 16GB 4800MHz, PCIe 4.0 1TB NVMe SSD. It supports a 17.3-inch screen, 1920×1080 FHD resolution, 360Hz refresh rate, 300nits brightness, and 100% sRGB color gamut, 3mm bezel, slim body, Per Key RGB keyboard.
The Intel Core i9-12900HX consists of 8 P-cores (high-performance core) and 8 E-cores (power-efficient core) with a total of 16 cores and 24 threads and 30MB of smart cache. It is a hybrid architecture, with P-core for high performance and low-power E-core for high efficiency. In fact, the last generation was also usable, and the performance improved significantly to an incomparable extent.
The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti laptop GPU is GDDR6 16GB of memory. There are 7,424 CUDA cores, and for reference, the RTX 3080 has 6,144 and the RTX 3070 Ti has 5,888. The boost clock is 1395 MHz. Comparing the desktop GPU and the number of CUDA cores alone, it can be seen that it is between the RTX 3080 (CUDA cores 8,960/8,704) and the RTX 3070 Ti (CUDA cores 6,144). how about power? The RTX 3080 Ti mounted on the AORUS 17X YES operates at a maximum of 130W.
It has DDR5 4800MHz 32GB memory and NVMe PCIe 4.0 1TB SSD. It supports two M.2 SSD slots and supports Thunderbolt 4 port on Wi-Fi 6E AX211 chipset. However, it is only 2.5 cm thick and 2.7 kg in weight.
Considering only the performance of this AORUS 17X YES, it is actually comparable to a high-end desktop. Nevertheless, it is only 25mm thick and weighs only 2.7kg. This was possible because of the 15.6-inch size and the 17.3-inch display. It has a low screen-to-body ratio of 90% (good for immersion in the screen), and is 17% smaller than the previous model. Thanks to these characteristics, it is a flagship gaming laptop, but unlike in the past, it is not difficult to store it in a bag and move it.
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i9-12900HX (16 cores 24 threads, 30 MB cache, up to 5.0 GHz)
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU GDDR6 16GB (130W maximum graphics power)
Display: 17.3-inch FHD (1920×1080) display, 360Hz, IPS, 300Nits, sRGB 100%
Memory: DDR5 4800MHz 32GB (16GB 2 slots/up to 64GB can be recognized)
Storage: 1 x NVMe PCIe 4.0 1TB SSD (M.2)
Webcam: 1.3 megapixels, IR sensor
Keyboard: Per Key RGB keyboard 16.7M color (anti-ghosting, N-key rollover, macro key function)
Audio: DTS:X Ultra Audio technology, stereo speakers (2.5W x2), dual microphones
Battery: Lithium Polymer 99Wh
Size: 398x254x25mm
Weight: 2.7 kg
Network: RTL8125-BG (2.5G) Ethernet, Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211, Bluetooth 5.2
Ports: HDMI 2.1, miniDP 1.4, USB 3.2 Type-A x2, RJ45, Thunderbolt 4 (Type-C, PD 100W charging support), audio combo jack
Unleash all performance with MUX switches
The exterior of the laptop is similar to the existing Aorus 17 YE. So share the advantages. It has a strong hinge that resists fingerprints. The size is 15.6-inch, so it is easy to carry.
How about the display? FHD 360Hz refresh rate, suitable for FPS and action games with fast screen switching. The color gamut is sRGB 100% (NTSC 72%) and the brightness is 300 nits, so it is sufficient to perform tasks where accurate color expression is important.
I played a game replay at 60Hz and 360Hz and shot it with a high-speed camera. At 60Hz, it was confirmed that there was an afterimage on the screen and it was cut off when switching the screen. On the other hand, 360Hz is neat.
Ports are located on the side. The port configuration is generous with HDMI 2.1, miniDP 1.4, USB 3.2 Type-A x2, RJ45, Thunderbolt 4 (Type-C, PD 100W charging support), and audio combo jack. The Thunderbolt 4 port charges up to PD 100W. When I connected it to the 100W PD charger, I was able to confirm that 100W went into it.
But the most important thing is that it is equipped with a MUX switch. If you enable the MUX switch, you can disable the built-in graphics and focus on the external graphics. This eliminates the need to go through the integrated graphics, reducing latencies and improving average framerates when gaming.
Per Key RGB keyboard and Windforce Infinity
High-end gaming laptops are equipped with Per Key RGB backlighting. AORUS 17X YES supports Per Key RGB backlight as it is a flagship product. Gigabyte’s Per Key RGB backlight has many advantages. The amount of light is high and the RGB transmission through the keycap is good. Thanks to this, it looks good in bright places. The keyboard effect is just as spectacular as the existing gaming keyboard. In addition, a macro key function can be used.
The keyboard is easy to get used to. The right shift size is a bit small, but it’s not difficult to get used to. The key treble is at an appropriate level, and the sense of distinction is felt. Anti-ghosting and N-key rollover are supported, so there is no problem with simultaneous input while gaming. Keystroke life is 10 million.
So, what is the cooling solution? Since the AORUS 17X YES is a flagship gaming laptop, a cooling solution is important. AORUS 17X YES is equipped with Windforce Infinity Cooling Solution. Two 84-blade fans and six heat pipes dissipate heat. This is clearly an improvement over the Aorus 17 YE. For reference, the Aorus 17 YE has two 59-blade fans and five heatpipes to dissipate heat.
Two 59-blade fans and five large heatpipes dissipate heat. You can enjoy the game comfortably by setting it to gaming mode in the Gigabyte Control Center. If you need all the performance, just turn on turbo mode.
The network supports Wi-Fi 6E. Since it is Wi-Fi 6E, the response speed is fast, so you can enjoy the game even with a wireless connection. Audio function can use DTS sound unbound. When applied, the sound resonates in the front to enhance the sense of presence and is suitable for sound play. The battery is at its maximum level of 99Whr and the adapter capacity is 240W.
gigabyte control center
The Aorus 17X YES is powered by an Intel Core i9-12900HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti laptop GPU (up to 130W), and DDR5 32GB 4800MHz (16GB x2) memory. The test of the laptop was conducted after changing to turbo mode through the Gigabyte Control Center. The MUX switch is also activated and only external graphics are used. Specific test data are attached together with comparison data with the AORUS 17 YE.
When running the Blender benchmark, the CPU is under full load. At this time, the CPU package temperature records a maximum of 89 degrees and then stabilizes at an average of 78 degrees. All-core clocks are maintained at around 3.1GHz for P-Core and 2.4GHz for E-Core.
Then, the temperature of the laptop was measured while running Resident Evil Village.
I checked the performance through Farming Simulator 22, Overwatch, Battleground, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Resident Evil Village. Frames were measured using Fraps (DX11) and Nvidia Frameview program (DX12).
Farming Simulator 22
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Resident Evil Village
Gigabyte’s new king
AORUS 17X YES showed the performance of a flagship gaming laptop. It showed better performance than the existing high-end gaming laptop Aorus 17 YE. In addition, the cooling solution is excellent, and it manages heat well enough that you do not have to worry about heat. At the same time, it maintains the high level of perfection of the existing AORUS 17. If you need a flagship gaming laptop, we recommend the Aorus 17X YES.